三姑六婆 three aunts and six wives
Explanation
三姑六婆泛指不务正业的妇女，旧时指尼姑、道姑、卦姑以及牙婆、媒婆、师婆、虔婆、药婆、稳婆等。现多用以指那些爱说闲话，搬弄是非，爱打听别人隐私的人。
The idiom "three aunts and six wives" generally refers to women who don't have a proper job and are busy with gossip and rumors. It used to refer to nuns, Taoist nuns, fortune-tellers, and matchmakers, etc. Now it mainly refers to those who like to gossip, spread rumors, and pry into other people's privacy.
Origin Story
话说在一个小镇上，住着一位年轻貌美的寡妇，她独立生活，靠着缝纫的手艺维持生计。她善良勤劳，深受邻里爱戴。然而，小镇上也有一些闲言碎语，三姑六婆们总爱聚集在一起，谈论这位寡妇的私生活，她们编造各种流言蜚语，有的说她勾引邻里小伙子，有的说她夜不归宿，更有甚者，说她与一些不三不四的人有染。这些流言蜚语对寡妇的声誉造成了极大的损害，她开始变得沉默寡言，精神状态也越来越差。她曾经想过搬离小镇，但又放心不下她辛辛苦苦经营的小生意。有一天，一位老奶奶看不过去了，她站出来为寡妇辩护，揭穿了三姑六婆们编造的谎言，并劝诫她们以后不要再散播谣言。从此以后，小镇上再也没有人敢对寡妇指手画脚，她重拾了信心，继续平静而快乐地生活下去。这个故事告诉我们，不要轻信谣言，要多一份理解和尊重，更要学会保护自己以及身边的人免受流言蜚语的伤害。
Once upon a time, in a small town, there lived a young and beautiful widow who supported herself by sewing. She was kind and hardworking, and was loved by her neighbors. However, there were also some gossips in the town. The "three aunts and six wives" often gathered together to talk about the widow's private life. They made up all kinds of rumors, some saying she was seducing young men in the neighborhood, some saying she didn't come home at night, and even worse, some saying she was having an affair with some disreputable people. These rumors greatly damaged the widow's reputation, and she became withdrawn and her mental state deteriorated. She had considered moving out of town, but she couldn't bear to give up her hard-earned business. One day, an old woman couldn't bear it any longer. She came forward to defend the widow, exposing the lies of the gossips and warning them not to spread rumors anymore. From then on, no one in the town dared to point fingers at the widow, and she regained her confidence and continued to live a peaceful and happy life. This story tells us that we should not easily believe rumors, that we should have more understanding and respect, and that we should learn to protect ourselves and the people around us from the harm of gossip.
Usage
三姑六婆常用来形容那些爱说闲话、搬弄是非、干涉别人隐私的妇女。
"Three aunts and six wives" is often used to describe women who like to gossip, stir up trouble, and interfere with other people's privacy.
Examples
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街坊邻居之间，三姑六婆说长道短的闲话不少。
jiefang linju zhi jian, sangugu liupo shuo chang dao duan de xianhua bu shao. yixie sangugu liupo zai beihou yilun fenfen
There are many gossips among neighbors.
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一些三姑六婆在背后议论纷纷。
Some gossips are talking behind their back.